indopia.in 14 Apr 09;
Colombo, Apr 14 Commercial considerations are taking an heavy toll on the popular mangrove swamps of the lush green and picturesque Sri Lanka, with environmentalists asking for effective measures to preserve them.
Mangrove plants, covering a consideration area in the Island country have provided habitat for the oysters, a tourist attraction here, besides helping in water flow and enhancing the possession of sediments in the water system.
A study said healthy mangrove forests helped save Sri Lankan villagers during the Asian tsunami disaster that claimed the lives of several thousand people in December 2004.
" Mangrove protect from erosion as their massive root system is efficient. Fishing in these lagoons is the livelihood of many coastal dwellers. Of the entire land mass of sri lanka, Mangroves cover an area of 0.1 per cent,"said an official of the Sri Lankan Mangrove Conservation and Demonstration Centre.
Regarding practical conservation strategies, several hectares of degraded land are being reconverted to mangrove forest, the official pointed out.
As much as 12,000 hectares of area in Sri Lanka are covered under mangroves that include very rare species and types of plant associations in different climatological zones. Fishing in these lagoons is the livelihood for over 120,000 coastal people.
